Arcadia Bluffs Bluffs Course

The verdict

The Bluffs Course is one of the great scenic rounds in American public golf, a links style layout perched on a high shelf of duneland above Lake Michigan. Warren Henderson and Rick Smith routed it across roughly 245 acres in 1999, using the natural drop of the land, more than two hundred feet from the high ground down toward the lake, to frame holes that feel exposed, wild and constantly in conversation with the wind. On a clear day the views run for miles across the water, and on a breezy one the course bares its teeth.

For the traveling golfer this is the headline reason to make the trip north, and it rewards the effort. It plays firm and fast in the manner of true links golf, asking for low, controlled ball flight and a willingness to use the contours. The closing stretch back toward the clubhouse, perched on the bluff, is as memorable a finish as the Midwest offers, and pairing the Bluffs with its sister South Course makes Arcadia a genuine two day destination.

The holes worth the trip

The round opens by climbing onto the high ground, and from early on the lake is a constant presence on your right, with the wind dictating how the holes play from one day to the next. The fairways are generous in width but the trouble is real, with native fescue, deep bunkering and slopes that feed a loose shot away from the green.

The signature holes run along the very edge of the bluff, where tee shots are framed by nothing but sky and water and the sense of exposure is total. The par 3s demand a committed strike into the breeze, and the long par 4s that hug the cliff line are the photographs golfers carry home. The closing holes return toward the clubhouse on the high shelf, finishing a round that feels more like the Irish coast than the American Midwest.

Throughout, the conditioning is firm and the greens roll true and quick, in keeping with the links intent. The course is honest, the strategy visible, and the reward for a well struck low ball under the wind is real. Take a caddie if you can, and give yourself time to take in the views between shots.

Where to stay nearby

The simplest base is the on site lodging at Arcadia Bluffs itself, which keeps you steps from both courses and earns the easiest early tee times. Staying on property is the way most golfers play the destination, especially if you want to take on both the Bluffs and the South in a single trip.

Beyond the club, the resort towns of Frankfort and Traverse City sit within easy reach, offering lakeside dining, wineries and a wider choice of hotels for a group that wants more than golf. We can build the lodging and the routing around the rounds you want to play.

Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts around Arcadia and Traverse City.